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The characteristics of bhāva are described in Bhakti-rasāmṛta-sindhu (1.3.25–26):

क्षान्तिर् अव्यर्थ-कालत्वं विरक्तिर् मान-शून्यता
आशा-बन्धः समुत्कण्ठा नाम-गाने सदा रुचिः
आसक्तिस् तद्-गुणाख्याने प्रीतिस् तद्-वसति-स्थले
इत्य् आदयो’नुभावाः स्युर् जात-भावाङ्कुरे जने

kṣāntir avyartha-kālatvaṃ viraktir māna-śūnyatā
āśā-bandhaḥ samutkaṇṭhā nāma-gāne sadā ruciḥ
āsaktis tad-guṇākhyāne prītis tad-vasati-sthale
ity ādayo’nubhāvāḥ syur jāta-bhāvāṅkure jane

When bhāva arises, the following nine symptoms are observed in the sādhaka : forbearance, effective use of one’s time, detachment, absence of pride, steadfast hope that Śrī Kṛṣṇa will bestow His mercy, intense longing to obtain one’s goal, constant taste for chanting the holy name, attachment to hearing about Kṛṣṇa’s qualities and affection for Kṛṣṇa’s pastime places.

क्षोभेर कारण सत्त्वे क्षोभ नाहि हय
सदा कृष्ण भजे, नाहि करे काल-क्षय

kṣobhera kāraṇa sattve kṣobha nāhi haya
sadā kṛṣṇa bhaje, nāhi kare kāla-kṣaya

कृष्णेतर-विषये विरक्ति सदा रय
मान थाकिलेओ अभिमानी नाहि हय

kṛṣṇetara-viṣaye virakti sadā raya
māna thākileo abhimānī nāhi haya

अवश्य पाइब कृष्ण-कृपा आशा करे
कृष्ण भजे अहरहः व्याकुल अन्तरे

avaśya pāiba kṛṣṇa-kṛpā āśā kare
kṛṣṇa bhaje aharahaḥ vyākula antare

हरे-कृष्ण-नाम-गाने रुचि निरन्तर
श्री-कृष्णेर गुणाख्याने आसक्ति विस्तर

hare-kṛṣṇa-nāma-gāne ruci nirantara
śrī-kṛṣṇera guṇākhyāne āsakti vistara

प्रीति करे सदा कृष्ण-वसतिर स्थाने
एइ अनुभाव भावाङ्कुर विद्यमाने

prīti kare sadā kṛṣṇa-vasatira sthāne
ei anubhāva bhāvāṅkura vidyamāne

Commentary: Bhajana-rahasya-vṛtti:

(1) Kṣānti–When one remains calm and composed although there is reason to be angry or restless, it is called kṣānti, forbearance. A sādhaka naturally displays forbearance, as seen in the example of Parīkṣit Mahārāja. Even after he received the curse of imminent death by Śṛṅgī, the son of a muni, he did not become disturbed, but with a steady mind proceeded to hear hari-kathā.

(2) Avyartha-kālatva–This means not wasting time and always being absorbed in hari-bhajana.

(3) Virakti–A natural distaste for material sense enjoyment is called virakti, detachment.

(4) Māna-śūnyatā–Pride arises from one’s high birth, social class, stage of life, wealth, beauty, high position, etc. Māna-śūnyatā is

the condition in which the heart remains free from pride even though one may have all these qualifications.

(5) Āśā-bandha–To apply one’s mind very diligently to bhajana with the firm faith that “Śrī Kṛṣṇa will surely bestow His mercy upon me” is called āśā-bandha, steadfast hope.

Śrīla Raghunātha dāsa Gosvāmī has expressed his hope (āśā) in Śrī Vilāpa-kusumāñjali (102):

आशा-भरैर् अमृत-सिन्धु-मयैः कथञ्चित् कालो मयातिगमितः किल साम्प्रतं हि
त्वं चेत् कृपां मयि विधास्यसि नैव किं मे प्राणैर् व्रजेन च वरोरु बकारिणापि

āśā-bharair amṛta-sindhu-mayaiḥ kathañcit kālo mayātigamitaḥ kila sāmprataṃ hi
tvaṃ cet kṛpāṃ mayi vidhāsyasi naiva kiṃ me prāṇair vrajena ca varoru bakāriṇāpi

O Varoru Rādhā, it is as rare to fulfil my hope as it is to attain an ocean of nectar, but I pass my days, greatly longing to fulfil it. Now You must give mercy to this poor, unhappy person. What to speak of my life, everything–my residing in Vraja and even my service to Kṛṣṇa–is useless without Your mercy.

(6) Samutkaṇṭhā–Intense longing to attain one’s desired object is called samutkaṇṭhā.

This kind of eagerness is shown in the prayer of Vṛtrāsura (Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 6.11.26):

अजात-पक्षा इव मातरं खगाः स्तन्यं यथा वत्सतराः क्षुधार्ताः
प्रियं प्रियेव व्युषितं विषण्णा मनो’रविन्दाक्ष दिदृक्षते त्वाम्

ajāta-pakṣā iva mātaraṃ khagāḥ stanyaṃ yathā vatsatarāḥ kṣudhārtāḥ
priyaṃ priyeva vyuṣitaṃ viṣaṇṇā mano’ravindākṣa didṛkṣate tvām

O lotus-eyed Lord, as baby birds that have not yet developed their wings always look for their mother to return and feed them, as small calves tied with ropes await anxiously the time of milking when they will be allowed to drink the milk of their mothers, or as a morose wife whose husband is away from home always longs for him to return and satisfy her in all respects, I always yearn for the opportunity to render direct service unto You. *

(7) Nāma-gāne sadā ruci–To constantly chant the name of Śrī Hari with the faith that nāma-bhajana is the topmost form of bhajana, is called nāma-gāne sadā ruci, taste in constant chanting of the holy name. To have a taste for the holy name is the key to obtaining the ultimate auspiciousness.

Kṛṣṇa-nāma is both the practice (sādhana) and the goal (sādhya). The topmost name, as taught by Śrī Gaurasundara, is the Hare Kṛṣṇa mahā-mantra. Nowadays, non-devotees write lyrics that are imaginary and full of rasa-ābhāsa, contradictory sentiments. Many people understand these lyrics to be nāmamantras, but such mantras are not mentioned in the scriptures and it is improper to chant them. Śrīman Mahāprabhu (Śrī Caitanya-bhāgavata, Madhya-khaṇḍa 13.10) has given the order: “ihā vai āra nā balibā, balāibā–ask them to chant only Hare Kṛṣṇa, nothing else.”

(8) Āsaktis tad-guṇākhyāne–The thirst of a bhāva-bhakta to describe and hear the sweet pastimes of Śrī Kṛṣṇa, which are filled with all auspicious qualities, is never satiated. The more he hears, the more his attachment increases.

(9) Tad-vasati-sthale-prīti–The desire to reside in Śrī Vṛndāvana, Śrī Navadvīpa or other abodes of the Supreme Lord is called tadvasati-sthale-prīti, affection for the transcendental residences of Bhagavān. Living in the dhāma is only beneficial when one has the association of pure devotees.

Śrīla Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura writes in his song Śuddha-bhakata:

गौर आमार, ये-सब स्थाने, करल भ्रमण रङ्गे
से-सब स्थान, हेरिब आमि, प्रणयि-भकत-सङ्गे

gaura āmāra, ye-saba sthāne, karala bhramaṇa raṅge
se-saba sthāna, heriba āmi, praṇayi-bhakata-saṅge

In the company of devotees who have transcendental love, I will behold all the places where my Gaura joyfully wandered.

And in the song Kabe gaura-vane, he prays: “dhāma-vāsī-jane, praṇati kariyā, māgiba kṛpāra leśa–offering my obeisances to all the resi dents of the dhāma, I shall beg a drop of mercy from them.”

If it is not possible to physically live in the dhāma, then one should live there mentally, and, in the company of pure devotees, one should hear and recite Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam and other scriptures. This is the same as living in the dhāma.

If some of the symptoms of bhāva are observed in karmīs, who desire sense enjoyment, or in jñānīs, who aspire for liberation, one should understand that such symptoms are nothing but a reflection (pratibimba) of bhāva or a semblance of rati (raty-ābhāsa). When ignorant persons exhibit these symptoms of bhāva by virtue of their association with devotees, it can be called a shadow of bhakti (chāyā-rūpa-bhakty-ābhāsa ).